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One of the most prolific actors of the 1990s and early 2000s who sadly fell off the map would be none other than action-hero heartthrob Brendan Fraser. Thankfully, he overcame some debilitating life challenges and has made quite the comeback for Hollywood. But regardless of his career trend, almost anyone who spent a good amount of their consciousness in the 90s would have seen the peak Brendan Fraser movies.
For those of you who want a Blast from the Past, then we recommend re-watching some of the best Brendan Fraser movies in the actor’s portfolio and perhaps even his most recent blockbuster, which solidified his comeback as a bonafide Hollywood icon.
The Mummy (1999)
For many 90s kids or older generations, The Mummy was likely what put Brendan Fraser on their radar as an iconic Hollywood action star. Seemingly as a homage to globe-trotting pulp action heroes like Indiana Jones, Brendan Fraser plays Rick O’Connell, a war veteran in Egypt who came across an old and ominous tomb. This would eventually make him qualify as a guide for some curious treasure hunters and archaeologists.
Eventually, their treasure hunting unearthed an ancient curse involving a mummy who wanted to take over the world. It’s a campy adventure that set itself apart from its primary inspirations, mostly thanks to Brendan Fraser’s rough yet charismatic character.
More importantly, it launched a franchise and was one of the few adventure-action movies with Egyptology iconography.
The Mummy Returns (2001)
The Mummy Returns is the direct sequel to the first film after its warm audience reception, and it’s an even whackier continuation of Rick O’Connell’s adventures. It does feature the same villain, which, for some, might have been too forced or redundant.
However, it’s more of Brendan Fraser’s magnetic action-hero character but with the added stakes of being a family movie since his son was kidnapped by the very evil mummy, he defeated back in the first movie.
George of the Jungle (1997)
Before The Mummy reinforced Brendan Fraser’s acting chops as a leading man and action hero, he was a pseudo-Tarzan in George of the Jungle. It’s one of his most memorable roles, and he was perhaps at his most physically fit phase here.
It’s a more comedic take on the Tarzan tale, where the titular George raised himself to live as a wild man after a plane crash stranded him in an African jungle. To his luck, the very first human contact he experienced was with a female explorer with whom he has undeniable chemistry.
This peculiar take on a rom-com movie earned Brendan Fraser more deals with projects in a similar genre.
Bedazzled (2000)
Bedazzled is one of the more underrated Brendan Fraser movies where he takes on a full comedic leading man role.
This time around, he’s a confused and insecure young man who strikes a deal with the devil in order to win the heart of a gorgeous co-worker he liked so much. The devilish deals led his character down a hilarious anthology of double-edged scenarios where he gets what he wishes for but gains nothing at the same time.
Sadly, the movie’s ending is a little too botched and disjointed despite the promising initial acts, but it’s worth seeing any way for Brendan Fraser’s funny-man predicaments. Moreover, the concept is somewhat novel for a Hollywood film.
Blast from the Past (1999)
Speaking of novel concepts for Hollywood films, Blast from the Past utilizes yet another somewhat unique premise (only to be watered down to a simple rom-com later).
Brendan Fraser here steps into the shoes of a man who spent the first few decades of his life in a bomb shelter, raised by his parents away from the influences of modern society all because mom and dad grew paranoid about the Cold War. So once Brendan Fraser came out, he was an old-fashioned guy forced to navigate the more relatively decadent and liberated phase of later decades.
Soon enough, Brendan Fraser’s outdated quirks attracted the attention of a modern woman.
It’s a refreshing spin on the naive-guy and carefree girl formula which yet again plays on Brendan Fraser’s strengths as a rom-com leading man. Cleverly enough, the film also became a commentary on the culture and socio-economics of modern American society.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
Seemingly building off on Brendan Fraser’s popularity back in The Mummy films, Journey to the Center of the Earth continued his action-hero journey.
The film is an adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel of the same name. Likewise, it features a group of curious but rag-tag scientists and archaeologists whose ventures have led them to a daring goal of proving that there’s another ecosystem as the center of the Earth.
Journey to the Center of the Earth is a standard summer blockbuster that Brendan Fraser sadly never got to continue due to his personal issues, and the sequel ended up landing on Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s hands.
The Whale (2022)
Fast forward to 2022, Brendan Fraser swaggers heroically back into the spotlight with his role in The Whale.
It’s an entirely different flavor of affair compared to his previous films since The Whale is a drama about an obese, depressed, and reclusive English teacher whose only shot at turning his life around is reconnecting to his estranged daughter.
To say that’s a dramatic change in Brendan Fraser’s typical role track is an understatement. The Whale was a challenge for Brendan Fraser, but it’s not something entirely unrelatable to his life after some huge career setbacks, injuries, and marriage troubles.
In any case, The Whale was a fitting comeback movie for the legendary Brendan Fraser, and this re-emergence was a welcome sight for the movie industry.
